Bridge

When I were a lad, telephone numbers had four digits, and a penalty of 1,000 or more was called a "telephone number". But how do you score or concede exactly 1,000 aggregate points at rubber bridge?

The "usual" ways are by defeating a redoubled contract by two tricks vulnerable or three tricks non-vulnerable. You can also make 3NT redoubled vulnerable, or an overtrick in 3NT redoubled non-vulnerable, and the same goes for contracts of five of a minor. Five of a major redoubled non-vulnerable making exactly is also worth 1000.

There are other ways, including what the proprietor of TGRs did in the high-stakes game the other day. Both sides vulnerable, dealer South:

The rationale behind is 4NT is not completely clear to me. It's possible, I suppose, that North would produce something like:

for his bid of three clubs. In that case, if West were to lead a spade away from his ace, four no trumps would make an overtrick; if he guessed to try to put partner in with a heart and not a diamond, four no trumps would still make.

The reality was rather different. Perris did well to lead a diamond from the West hand, and Sheehan cashed five rounds of the suit before switching to a spade. He unblocked the 10 on the second round of spades, and West claimed the remainder of the tricks for 10 down and 1,000 to East-West. The proprietor maintained that this result was above par for his side, since East-West can make six spades for 1,430 while five clubs doubled would cost 1,100 on best defence. But no one was listening - they were all laughing too hard.